Kuunchieleyiri, Feb. 20, GNA - A 165 million cedis Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) centre at Kuunchieleyiri, a farming community in Wa West District has been inaugurated.

It was jointly undertaken by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) that contributed 90 million cedis, the assembly assisted with 75 million cedis while Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) provided equipments including solar power and a refrigerator for the storage of vaccines for the centre.

In addition, JICA is supporting the training of 14 Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA's) and also provided a motor bike to facilitate activities of the community health officer.

The CHPS concept was initiated by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to improve access and equity in the provision of essential information and services to Ghanaians with the participation of the community. Mr Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minister inaugurating the centre, appealed to the country's development partners to assist with the provision of more CHPS centres in the 197 communities in the region to bring health care delivery to the remote parts. He noted that efforts by the assemblies in the region to provide health facilities were constrained by inadequate resources hence the need for assistance.

Dr Erasmus Agongo, Upper West Regional Director of Health Services appealed to people in the five targeted communities in the district to collaborate with health officials for the effective and efficient implementation of the CHPS programme.

Dr Phoebe Balagumyetimeh, Wa West District Director of Health Services said 31 CHPS zones had been earmarked by 2015 out of which nine had been initiated and four of them in operation. She said the district made tremendous improvement in this year's immunization exercise and reproductive health services. 20 Feb. 07